Separator



(No Model.) 3 Sheets+Sheet 1'.

W. L.- SIMPSON. SEPARATOR.

No. 395,185. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. L. smPsoN.

SEPARATOR.

Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

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(No Model) /flzca/Jzd No Model 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. L. SIMPSON.

SEPARATOR.

Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

\VILLIAM L. SIMPSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SEPARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,185, dated December 25, 1888.

Application filed April 4:, 1888. Serial No. 269,544. (No model.)

To all whom it may con-corn:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. SIMPSON, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Steam Receiver, Separater, and Trap for Supplying Dry Steam, which invention fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide a receiver for steam from boilers which shall separate the water entrained in or with the steam, whether by reason of condensation or the foaming or priming of the boiler, and to trap said water, so that it may be led oil without entering the engine or before required for other purposes, the construction of the separator being such that the centrifugal action set up therein throws the water outward to the walls of the separator, whence it falls by gravitation to the trap below, while the steam is at liberty to centripetally seek the nearest and least obstructed passage to the engine or other required apparatus.

The invention will first be described in detail, and then particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in elevation an outside view of the receiver and separator. Fig. 2 shows a vertical cross-section through the center of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows, on a reduced scale, a horizontal section about midway of Fig. 2, as at at 'y. Fig. 4c shows in cross-section a modified form of interior arrangement of separator to accomplish the centripetal and centrifugal action, respectively, of the steam and the water. 5 shows a modification, here inaftendescribcd.

In said figures the several parts are indi' cated by letters of reference as follows:

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the letter A indicates the shell or chamber forming the receiver and separator, having, for convenience, a flanged top, B, bolted or otherwise secured thereto. lVithin said top is an internal pipe, C, preferably downwardly curved, as shown in Fig. 2. Depending from said pipe 0 is a pipe, D, as a continuation of the same, and

preferably connected thereto by a screwjoint. Surrounding said pipe I.) is a helical thread, E, running from its top to or nearly to its bottom, as may be preferred. About one-half or less of the lower portion of the pipe D is provided with holes (I, giving vent to the interior of said pipe between the helical passage or passages formed between the thread E, the exterior of the pipe D, and the interior walls of the shell A. Said interior walls are preferably formed with vertical ribs a. (Shown in sectional plan in Fig. and in elevation in Fig. 2.) Two, three, or four of said ribs may be used, as preferred. At the bottom of the receiver and separator is fitted a float-valve mechanism consisting of the ballfloat F, connected by an arm, to a valve, G, having a port, g, registering with ports P p in its casing ll, formed, for convenience, in the.

bonnet K, which closes the nozzle or handhole in the side of the chamber A. To one side of said valve or cock G is fitted an external arm, P, Fig. 1, by which the valve may be opened and closed by hand from the outside of the chamber A. \V hen the Heat F rises, it opens the valve G, and the water then accumulated in the bottom of the chamber A escapes through said valve out of said chamber into any receptacle that maybe provided for it. \Vhencver the float F rises or falls, such movement will be indicated by a correspendingmovement of the arm P, which thus becomes a valuable tell-tale of the workin of the apparatus. On Fig. at a glass water-gage is also shown to indicate conveniently the height of the water accumulated in the bottom of the chamber A.

The modification shown in Fig. 4 shows a depending helical passage or passag formed by a perforated pipe. The pipe I is provided with holes '5 on the inner sides of its helical turns and with holes 7; on the outer sides of its helical turns. The float-valve mechanism shown in this figure is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2; but it is placed in Fig. 4c in a recess, R, in the bottom of the chamber A, as clearly shown in the drawings, instead of merely occupying the lower part of said chamber.

The courses of the steam and water, respect ively, in Figs. 2 and i are as below described.

In Fig. 2 the steam enters at the top at T, or it may enter at the side, the bonnet- S be current of separated water.

ing transferred to the opening T, if preferred. The course of the steam downward is indicated by the arrows following thehelical passage between the threads E, winding around the outside of the pipe D until after leaving said helical passage it turns upward and escapes through the pipe I) out of the pipe to the engine or other place where perfectly dry steam is desired to be used. Near the bottom of the pipe D it is provided with holes 71, so that the steam or a part may enter said pipe through said holes before reaching the end of the helical passage formed by the threads E. The steam, however, may be reversed in its course, if preferred. It may enter the receiver at C, and, descending-vertically to the bottom of the pipe D, or until it reaches the holes 7L, then pass up through the helical passage formed by the threads E around the exterior of the pipe D until it finds its exit through the top of the separator or through its side, as may be preferred, through the nozzles at either S or T. The holes h may be dispensed with, if preferred, and their aggregate area may equal or be less than the area of the pipe D, which may have a closed bottom, as shown by dotted lines Z Z, Fig. 2, in which case said holes will afford ample entrance for steam and exit for water. The advantages of this combined receiver, separator, and trap for delivering dry steam and the mode of its operation due to its construction are as follows: The helical passages compel such rotary motion in. the column of steam and entrained water as to throw the heavier water by centrifugal force to the exterior of said passages, whence it falls by gravitation down the inner walls of the chamber A, the threads E making a sutiiciently loose fit at said wall to admit of the passage of the separated water. Said threads are also fitted loosely around the ribs a on the walls of the chamber A, which ribs act as stopwaters for the outer edge of the whirlin current of water, and thus let gra\"itation act upon successive portions of the subdivided The interior walls of the chamber A may be made slightly tapered instead of parallel, in order to facilitate the withdrawal of the helical threads E if said threads are secured to the pipe D, as shown in Fig. 2; but said threads may be cast with the walls of the chamber A, if said chamber be a casting, as shown in Fig. 5, in which event peripheral holes or orifices will be left between the threads It and the walls of the chamber A, such as are shown in Fig. 3 at the ribs a, of sufficient area to let the separated water vertically descend by gravitation.

In Fig. 4 the steam enters at T, passes helically down the pipe I, and, by reason of the centrifugal action set up by the rotary whirl of the entrained water, said water is thrown radially outward through the holes 7.: into the body of the chamber A, whence by gravitation it falls in a sheet or annular column near the walls of said chamber to the trap below, already described. The steam, however, finding the inner holes, 2', unobstructed by water, has clear vent and issues thereout into the central space in the interior of the coils and rises in a solid column to the top of the re ceiver, whence itescapes thoroughly dry to the engine or other desired place through either the nozzle U or the nozzle S, as maybe desired. Either of said nozzles may be used or closed, as desired.

These separators, if desired, particularly when of large size, can be conveniently made of plate metal instead of cast.

This separator will be found of great advantage in removin from the steam all grease or other impurities that may come over with the water expelled from a foaming or priming boiler, as such impurities will be retained in the separator and not pass into the engine, where they would do mischief in cutting and wearing away the rapidly-moving parts in the steam chests and cylinders.

Having thus fully described my said improvement as of my invention, I claim 1. A steam receiver and separator for supplyin dry steam, consisting of a chamber having an interior descending pipe or passages for the entering steam and annular escapes for said steam helically disposed and provided with peripheral escapes for entrained water, whereby the steam is led annularly upward out of the separator and the water thrown outward, deseendin thence by gravitation to the bottom of the separator, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A steam receiver and separator for supplying dry steam, consisting of a chamber havin winding or helical passages provided with perforations leading from a pipe or passage for the entering steam, having a closed bottom, and with peripheral escapes for en trained water, whereby the steam is led annularly upward out of the separator and the water thrown outward, descending thence by gravitation to the bottom of the separator, substantialy as and for the purposes set forth.

A steam receiver and separator provided with an internal thread forming helical passages, in combination with vertical ribs forming stop-waters for the water separated from the steam, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In combination with a steam-separator, an externally-fitted waterdischarge valve provided with a float operated by the water separated from the steam, whereby said valve automatically discharges said water out of said separator and is also adapted to be operated by hand from the outside of the separator for the same purpose, substantially as set forth.

\VM. L. SIMPSON.

\Vitnesses:

FRANCIS P. REILLY, ALFRED S. BROWN. 

